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Planning a marriage or personal party and unsure what to do about the music? Here’s a few tips to get you pointed in the right way.
First, is there a theme to your party? You know – upmarket, classic, bohemian, formal, preppy, Hawaiian shirts, for example. ? Contingent on what your theme is (if you have one), what kind of music you plan for can go a long way to setting just the right tone for your special event. You should not as an example, need to play the newest rap songs from Snoop Dogg at your upmarket, black-tie event. I guess you would if Snoop Dogg was there, but we’re betting Snoop is probably not on your guest list.
And what about your funds? Organizing a party on a tight budget is tough and even if I think live music is always superior than a DJ let’s accept it, one DJ with a turntable or digital rig is much more affordable (generally) than a band. To me, a band actually makes a party but that’s a budget consideration for sure.
What time of day is your event? Classical music might work great at an earlier event while jazz might be a great choice for an evening party.
What are your personal musical tastes? Actually, this one should dictate what kind of music you would like played at your party. You are coughing up for it, right? Sure, you must consider dear old Aunt Lillian who hates anything after 1960 but come on, this is your party, not hers, so go with music that you like. If you’re coordinating the party, then ask the bride and groom or take a survey of folks who could be attending your event what they would like to hear. Be prepared for answers like “Iron Maiden”.
Where is the party being held? Some locales have pretty stringent rules about music like how loud it can be, what types of music are allowed, if there is space for a band, for example. You should check-in with your location before booking any music to be certain you are aligned with their laws.
What is the size of your event? Music for truly massive parties requires sound strengthening and sometimes bands or DJ’s are set to handle this but you might want to think carefully about getting a 10-piece rock orchestra to play a 20 person party in a little, intimate locale.
Onstage music vs. DJ. As a musician who plays an instrument, I always side on the live band scenario but again, budget, location, type of event and personal musical tastes may point you towards a DJ. Most DJ’s can play a wide selection of styles and although some cover bands do the same, most live bands stay inside two explicit genres like jazz, rock or classical. Go for the live band, I say. You can always hear the radio in your auto.
Picking music for your personal party, marriage or significant event doesn’t have to be advanced science. Think about where you are having the party, what number of people are attending, what sort of mood you'd like to set, and your financial position. This will truly help to define what you can do with the music.
Elias Haslanger plays jazz, teaches saxophone lessons, and hires Austin wedding bands for your special occasion.